Jesus Diaz

Scientists may have found one of the keys to weight loss hiding in the poop of 3,000-year-old mummies. The bacterial DNA found in their guts is very different from our modern intestinal flora.

The reason: chlorinated water and antibiotics.

That's the first hypothesis of Dr. Cecil Lewis. According to Lewis—who is leading a team of scientist hunting for bacterial DNA samples in mummy guts and cave soil across North and South America—these two factors "fundamentally changed human microbiomes."

By age 18, most Americans have had up to 20 doses of antibiotics. And that might be making us fat.
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So the secret to fight obesity may go through the recuperation of these 3,000-year-old bacteria. We don't know yet, however. According to Lewis "it's too early to tell if it's a good idea to repopulate our guts with bacteria. But it's certainly an important idea that requires investigation."

Another idea that may require investigation by normal people: not eating like pigs and move a bit. Unless you want to start getting mummy poop injected in your body, that is. [New Scientist via NineMSN via MNN]